Automatic selection of video from active cameras

Abstract

A method according to one embodiment includes: receiving, by a processing system, sensor data from a sensor device carried by a user or attached to the user's sports equipment during a sporting activity; identifying, by the processing system and based on the sensor data, an event engaged in by the user during a time period; determining, based on the sensor data, a position of the user during the event; identifying a camera that is operational and has the user in view during at least a portion of the time period; and selecting video footage of the event from the identified camera.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 receiving, by a processing system, sensor data from a sensor device coupled to a user during a sporting activity; 
 identifying, by the processing system and based on the sensor data, an event engaged in by the user during a time period; 
 identifying a camera that is operational and has the user in view during at least a portion of the time period; and 
 selecting video footage of the event from the identified camera. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising synchronizing video from the identified camera with the received sensor data using a common source. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the common source comprises a wireless network time stamp. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein selecting video footage of the event further includes selecting at least one frame of the video footage and performing a digital zoom on the at least one frame to select a portion of the frame based on a predetermined criterion. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying the camera includes:
 identifying a plurality of cameras that are operational during the time period; and 
 identifying a subset of the operational cameras that have the user in view during the time period; and 
 selecting a camera from the subset of operational cameras based on at least one criterion. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one criterion includes a focus level of each camera in the subset. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising embedding performance data related to the event in the selected video footage. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising tagging the selected video footage with one or more of: performance data related to the event, time information, location information, and information regarding the user. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor data includes inertial data. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor data includes at least one of: position data and time data. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identified event is selected from the group consisting of: a jump, a flip, a rotation, and a turn. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing system is embedded in the sensor device. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing system is a separate device from the sensor device. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing system comprises a server. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor device is co-located with a camera that generates said video data. 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensor device is separate and independent from the camera that generates the video footage. 
     
     
       17. A system, comprising:
 a processor; and 
 memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:
 receive sensor data from a sensor device coupled to a user during a sporting activity; 
 identify based on the sensor data, an event engaged in by the user during a time period; 
 identify a camera that is operational and has the user in view during at least a portion of the time period; and 
 select video footage of the event from the identified camera. 
 
 
     
     
       18. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to:
 receive sensor data from a sensor device coupled to a user during a sporting activity; 
 identify based on the sensor data, an event engaged in by the user during a time period; 
 identify a camera that is operational and has the user in view during at least a portion of the time period; and 
 select video footage of the event from the identified camera.